


Artemis's Night

by swimbfly



Series: The Moon in Elsewhere [9]
Category: Elsewhere University (Webcomic)
Genre: Fae & Fairies, Graduation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:08:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23515180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swimbfly/pseuds/swimbfly
Summary: Its graduation finally! Artemis celebrates with her Elsewhere family and has to make a choice.
Series: The Moon in Elsewhere [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1241306
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Artemis's Night

**Author's Note:**

> The first paragraph came to my mind first and I couldn't get it out of my head, this is what happened, enjoy.

There are two graduations at Elsewhere. The one full of pomp and circumstance, where families huddle in seats and wait through hundreds of names to cheer for one crossing the stage held miles from campus. And the one held the night before on Elsewhere campus not celebrated by families of blood but by families born of fear and success, born out of learning and survival.

This night marked the true graduation from Elsewhere, it was the last night, where deals could be made, it was their last night before they started to forget. It was a night of truce, where none would be Taken unless they willed it, and those Taken returned if they so wished. A final night of contradiction before the students left it behind. And here Artemis stood on the edge watching her classmates as they drank and danced around the bonfire, iron and salt still worn in protection, fiddling with the charm on her necklace. Phoebus came up next to her looking forward as well.

“You’ll have to make a choice.” They said watching the dancing flames.

“How can I without knowing the whole truth?” she replied.

“You know the truth, it’s what called you here all those years ago,” they replied. “you just don’t want to acknowledge it.”

“I’ve been offered two choices.” She said slowly, “stay and teach or leave and forget.”

Phoebus snorted and she looked at them in surprise. “You know as well as I that there are more than two choices available to you. Between your allies and your name, there are many doors open to you, you only need to speak them.”

Artemis took a deep breath before stepping and turning so she was face to face in front of Phoebus. “Phoebus, what would you choose in my place?”

The fae looked down at her, their eyes kind. “I have already made my choice, I made it both long ago and just yesterday. It is up to you now to make yours. I cannot make it for you, nor can I persuade you; this night ensures that. All I can say my huntress is you have til dawn.”

With that they melted back into the shadows, leaving Artemis staring into the Forest. She sighed shaking her head in frustration before stalking forward toward the fire and grabbing a beer. She took a seat on a rock and stared into the flames as if her answers would be found in the embers.

After a while, she was startled out of her thoughts by someone plopping down next to her. She turned her head and there was her professor, a legend of Elsewhere.

“What are you doing here professor?” Artemis asked. “You never come to these events.”

“Did you know that this class was the first where a graduate degree was offered to a whole class?” she asked watching the fire.

Artemis’s eyes narrowed but she answered. “I heard rumors.”

“I was not the first offered a graduate degree from Elsewhere, it likes to hold onto its own,” the professor continued eyes forward. “But this was the first time where **new** students were brought in for the graduate program. Makes you wonder why.” She said standing and walking away before Artemis could respond.

Artemis watched her leave with a frustrated sigh, running her hand through her short hair. Hawkeye sat down next to her offering a beer.

“Looks like you need one, freely given.” He offered. Artemis took it, popped the top and downed about half of it causing him to raise an eyebrow. “Looks like I was right.” He muttered.

“What’s eating you?” he asked studying the woman. “it’s a night to celebrate. We’ve survived. We get to leave tomorrow.”

“I’m not sure if I have that choice,” Artemis said taking a smaller sip of her beer.

Hawkeye nodded slowly before he spoke. “It’s your name, isn’t it. It’s become true.”

Artemis stayed silent for a moment before slumping. “I think it always has been.” She whispered.

“Are they forcing you to stay?” he asked, fiddling with the arrow charm around his wrist.

“There are no deals, and no one has demanded it. But I don’t think I can leave. I don’t think that is my choice, but instead how I stay.” Artemis said slowly.

“That’s a hell of a choice,” Hawkeye replied. “When do you have to decide?”

“Dawn.”

“Well shit, you can’t even get hammered.” He replied leaning back, “that sucks.”

Artemis chuckled nodding, “yeah, I don’t think drunken decisions would go over well.”

“You want me to leave you alone?” he asked gently.

Artemis thought for a moment but shook her head, “no I could use a friend.”

“And you have one.” He replied quickly, “no matter what your decision is. Artemis, I’ll be your friend.”

Artemis nodded and they lost themselves in watching the dancing flames and their dancing classmates.

Dawn came too soon. Phoebus stood in front of her, the embers from the dying fire sparkling behind them. They raised an eyebrow to Hawkeye leaning on her, dead to the world but refrained from commenting. The woman nudged her companion awake and once free stood, stepping forward toward Phoebus.

“Do you have your decision?” he asked.

“I do.”

There was a pause and the fae tilted their head looking at her waiting.

“I choose…”

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think Artemis choose? Any thoughts? Virtual cookies to anyone who recognizes the professor, here's a hint they are the main character in another Elsewhere fanfic series, one that I love! and I referenced them in other fics in this series.


End file.
